if youve never heard of them before, congrats--they make for an incredibly infectious, unforgettable first listen. i hope this post prompts you to at least check out their most popular stuff. i hope youll love it as much as i do!!! :))) heres their bandcamp too because their new single and one of their albums isnt on spotify. today im gonna rank their three albums bc i think pitting two recent songs against three albums dating back to 2017 is a bit unfair haha. hope u enjoy >.<
1. Techxture
> 2020, not on label
> on their latest album, The Planet You keeps the prog influence while injecting some jazz and experimental ideas as well. they completely smash through the ceiling when it comes to the energy this record exudes. easily their most wild-eyed, foamy-mouthed album thanks to anxiety ridden guitar runs rounded out perfectly with layered screams and croons and drums that will give you a heart murmur. and just when you think you cant take anymore, they shove your head underneath ice cold water. its refreshing really.
the way they build suspense in this album is unmatched by the rest of their discog. they dont waste any time with it, admittedly, favoring smaller melodic pieces before an electric sonic explosion instead of something longer because this record is incredibly urgent and manic and we dont have time for that. the drums stand out a lot too, sounding akin to noise rock staples. while this is their most polished production-wise it still has a raw feeling lent to it by the subtle twang of the guitar and the carelessness of the melody as it flows and ebbs wherever it pleases. this record doesnt wait for you at all which is what makes it so compelling and arresting.
all in all, all you really need to know about Techxture is that it witnesses the peak of The Planet You's technical ability and the thrilling climax of their sparky song structures and capabilities to pull a song together even when its individual components seem miles apart. it's got a wonderfully diverse track list while still staying true to its incredibly original, unmistakable experimental prog math sound. wildly exciting and attractively perplexing, this album will keep you on your toes. it's in my top 100 albums for a reason and i hope it tickles u as mucha s it does me ! :))
>favorite songs:
Cloud Emissary
Perigree
The Electric Lesson
2. The Planet You
> 2018, not on label
> The Planet You is definitely one of those bands who only gets better with each release. on this album we see better production (yay <3), even slippier riffs, and a new ferocity in the drumming. every time i listen to this album, i find something new to love, new parts in each song that i somehow missed last time. and they only add even more to the kind of cryptic feel this album has. very mystical and even psychedelic.
they add a proggy atmosphere to this album, especially evident on tracks like "Posilutely!" and "Cursed." they never let one facet of an idea hold them back for too long, and theyre constantly experimenting and confessing as a gateway into their minds. i really enjoy the choppier guitar on this album--it's the kind of speed and accuracy that catches you by surprise. on a first listen, it might feel a little too compacted, but as you hear it again and again, the genius really begins to show. every instrument seems to dance around one another, with the drums biting at the heels of the incessant, thunderous heartbeat of the bass. the guitar tops it all off perfectly with blindingly fast chord changes.
and then there is "Burial Ground." god i love this song. every time it comes on i keep it on repeat for like half an hour because it always just completely blows me away. for three minutes math rock styling with prog and jazz sensibilities is traded out for a cryptic, sandy, hard-hitting electronic track. not only is it absolutely gorgeous, but it shows their talents in curating an atmosphere and speaking without words. just incredible, one of my favorite songs of all time.
what puts this above I Too (Me Also) is not just the better production but also the introduction of prog influences and more purposeful drumming. if youre looking to get into The Planet You i would absolutely recommend their self titled album as your first listen.
> favorite songs:
Burial Ground
Idhisbaa!
Cursed
3. I Too (Me Also)
> 2017, released on All Sounds
> this is a real treat for people who love their math rock just a little bit lo-fi. for me, however, that is where it seems to fall. while the somewhat poor production makes it feel unpolished, it also adds a layer of coziness and familiarity that i think is an interesting contrast to the album cover which leads you to believe it's going to be sharp, angular, and unforgiving. even though it is all of these things musically, like i said, the unnecessary peach fuzz texturing is distracting. when i listen to this album i always wish it was just a little more precise, then it would hit right on the nail. however, i do need to be a bit lenient considering this is their first album.
while i make it seem like the production is an irredeemable wound the pure musicality makes up for it, which is why it had to take number 3 (somebody had 2 do it). tpy has a spastic, urgent, manic quality to their brand of math rock that really draws you in. it snakes around and pushes the limits of technicality in a style reminiscent of Orthrelm before it reigns itself back in as an act of self-preservation--as if they jammed any harder they might fall apart. tight song structures with wavy synths and heartfelt drumming splattered with cymbal crashes and tinny yelps from the hi-hats. combine all this with swinging melodic bellows and whimsical lyrics, and youve got a great album.
my favorite thing about any tpy album is probably the guitar, and their first album is a great example of the potential they nurtured. impeccable timing meets undeniably groovy and shiny riffs to combine with a tip-toeing bass line in an emotional flabbergast that can really only be described as a hurricane of sweat and tears. it's almost like theyre pleading out to you for forgiveness, for a yearning gone haywire. overall, an amazing debut that i wouldnt hesitate to play on a foggy, humid day spent outside scrambling along sidewalks.
> favorite songs:
Please Guess My Birdcalls
There Is Always A Shrimp At The End Of The Rainbow
The Three Tree
> if youre going to miss The Planet You as much as i will then ive got some good news for you....one of their members has a little project called Loon Lord thats just as good and is definitely doing shows or something. check them out on spotify !! have a good day ^w^
Hey its the cute dude from spotify some kind of blog you got here *Laughs like an anime boy* Lot of words on here *pushes up glasses* Best advice i ever got in life… “Some day you will find a hoe not scared by your mild autism” - With love, Chris
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